John Hannah

John Hannah (born 23 April 1962) is a Scottish actor and narrator. He came to prominence in Four Weddings and a Funeral, for which he was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role as Matthew. His other film appearances include Sliding Doors (1998), The Hurricane (1999), and The Mummy trilogy (1999–2008).

His television roles include Dr Iain McCallum in McCallum (1995–1998); the title character in Rebus (2000–2001); Jack Roper in New Street Law (2006–2007); Jake Osbourne in Cold Blood (2007–2008), Quintus Lentulus Batiatus in Spartacus (2010–2011), Jack Cloth in A Touch of Cloth (2012–2014), Jason's father (Aeson) in the BBC series Atlantis (2013–2015), and Dr. Holden Radcliffe in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2016–2017).

Early life and education Hannah was born in East Kilbride in Lanarkshire, the youngest of three children; he has two older sisters. His mother, Susan, was a cleaner at Marks & Spencer, and his father, John, a toolmaker.

He attended Heathery Knowe Primary School, then Claremont High School in East Kilbride and went on to an apprenticeship as an electrician. In East Kilbride, he participated in the East Kilbride Rep Theatre Club. At the suggestion of a colleague, after completing his apprenticeship he attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

Career After graduation, Hannah had parts in theatre productions, films and television, including leading roles such as Robert in the television adaptation of Frederic Lindsay's novel Brond (Channel 4, 1987).

He became known internationally with his appearance as Matthew in Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994). He played a psychopathic killer alongside Helen Baxendale in Truth or Dare, and a mystery-solving pathologist in McCallum.

On 24 December 1997, Hannah and Scottish Films producer Murray Ferguson established a production company called Clerkenwell Films. Clerkenwell's first big production was the Rebus series, including Black And Blue and The Hanging Garden. However, Rebus was later taken in-house by STV Productions, and Hannah was replaced in the leading role in the series by Ken Stott.

Hannah played the Monty Python-quoting love interest of Gwyneth Paltrow in the romantic comedy Sliding Doors (1998). He starred in the axed U.S. series MDs (2002), as well as making guest appearances in various other series.

He played a comic role as the brother of Rachel Weisz in The Mummy (1999), The Mummy Returns (2001) and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008). In 2007–08, he played a starring role in the ITV crime drama Cold Blood.

He was the voice of the Co-operative Group adverts in Europe. He played the part of Quintus Lentulus Batiatus, the owner of a gladiator training house, in Spartacus: Blood and Sand and the prequel Spartacus: Gods of the Arena.

Hannah played the scientist Holden Radcliffe on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in a recurring role during season three and got promoted to series regular during season four in 2016.

From 2017 he played Archie Wilson in the BBC series Trust Me.

Hannah plays the role of Dr. Jedidiah Bishop on the medical drama Transplant on CTV Canada.

Since 2019 he has narrated the BBC reality series Race Across the World, where five pairs of Brits travel across the world without taking a plane for just the price of the flight. As of 2025, Hannah has narrated all five regular series, as well as three featuring celebrities.

Personal life Hannah married actress Joanna Roth in 1996. The pair met several years before during a studio production of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure. In many of his interviews, he mentions stories from their relationship, such as their visit to London's Sri Siam restaurant where he proposed to her in writing on the tablecloth. They live in Richmond, London with their two children.

Filmography

Film

Television Year Title Role Notes 1987 Brond Robert 3 episodes 1988 Bookie Johnny Dawson 3 episodes Screen Two Pretty Boy Episode: "Reasonable Force" 1990 Taggart Danny Bonnar 3 episodes Boon Willie Connolly Episode: "Work, Rest & Play" 1991 Shrinks Hamish Episode #1.4 1992 The Bill Derek Pierce Episode: 'Trial and Error" Civvies Dan Walker Episode #1.3 Between the Lines D.C. Mellis Episode: 'Nothing Personal" 1993 Paul Calf's Video Diary Mark TV short 1994 Capital Lives John Robinson Episode: "Joan" Faith Nick Simon Television film Pauline Calf's Wedding Video Mark Milner Windscreen washer 1995 Out of the Blue D.S. Frankie Drinkall 6 episodes 1995–1998 McCallum Dr. Iain McCallum 8 episodes 1996 Truth or Dare Nick Television film Circles of Deceit: Kalon Jason Sturden 1997 The Love Bug Simon Moore III 2000–2001 Rebus D.I. John Rebus 4 episodes 2001 Alias Martin Shepard 2 episodes 2002 MDs Dr. Robert Dalgety 10 episodes 2003 Frasier Avery McManus Episode s10e20: "Farewell, Nervosa" Carnivàle Stangler 2 episodes 2004 Agatha Christie's Marple Inspector Tom Campbell Episode: 4.50 from Paddington Amnesia D.S. Mackenzie Stone 2 episodes 2005–2007 Cold Blood Jake Osbourne 5 episodes 2005 Sea of Souls John Wade 2 episodes 2006–2007 New Street Law Jack Roper 14 episodes 2007 Sinking of the Lusitania: Terror at Sea Prof. Ian Holbourn TV docudrama 2008 Agatha Christie's Poirot Appointment with Death Dr. Gerard 2010 Spartacus: Blood and Sand Quintus Lentulus Batiatus 13 episodes 2011 Kidnap and Ransom Alexander Willard 2 episodes Spartacus: Gods of the Arena Quintus Lentulus Batiatus 6 episodes 2012 The Other Wife Richard Kendall 2 episodes Damages Rutger Simon 10 episodes 2012–2014 A Touch of Cloth D.I. Jack Cloth 6 episodes 2013–2015 Atlantis Aeson (Jason's Father) 3 episodes 2013 Elementary Rhys S1 Episode 15: "A Giant Gun, Filled with Drugs" 2014 The Widower DS Charlie Henry 2 episodes 2015–2016 Marley's Ghosts Adam 9 episodes 2016 A Midsummer Night's Dream Duke Theseus Television film 2016–2017 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Holden Radcliffe 22 episodes 2017 Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency The Mage 8 episodes 2019–present Race Across the World Narrator 60 episodes 2019 The Victim DI Stephen Grover 4 episodes Trust Me Dr. Archie Watson 2020 Transplant Dr. Jed Bishop Series regular Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse Narrator Television film 2021 Taskmaster Himself New Years Day special 2023 The Last of Us Dr. Neuman Episode: "When You're Lost in the Darkness" Black Mirror Richard King Episode: "Loch Henry" Silent Witness Dr Charles Beck 2 episodes 2024The DecameronEduardo1 episode2025SandokanSergeant Murray8 episodes2026Benidorm Is MurderDennis Crown6 episodes

Video games Year Title Role 2008 The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Jonathan Carnahan

Theatre Year Title Role Company Director Notes 1987 The Gorbals Story Johnnie Martin 7:84 David Hayman play by Robert McLeish